As the Dec. 2 runoff approaches for one of the last undecided Senate races, big names are visiting Georgia to show their support for the incumbent, Republican Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore have made separate appearances for Martin, CNN reported.

Bill Schneider, CNN’s senior political analyst, said the big names bring much-needed attention to the runoff.

“Generally, they can help boost turnout because of all the media attention. Turnout in a runoff election is often very low compared to a presidential election, and each side needs to get as many of their voters to the polls as possible.”

The state requires that a candidate receive a majority of 50 percent-plus one of the votes cast, and with all but one percent of precincts reporting, Chambliss has 49.8 percent of the vote, the Associated Press said. Jim Martin, the Democratic challenger, had 46.8 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns, while the Libertarian candidate, Allen Buckley, had 3.4 percent.

A statement issued Wednesday from Georgia’s Secretary of State, Karen Handel, said election officials in each county will count absentee ballots from people overseas and in the military through the end of the week. Officials also have to resolve any disputed ballot issues.

Chambliss was elected to the Senate in 2002 after being elected to the House in the 1994 Republican revolution. He is a lawyer who earned his legal degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law after graduating from the University of Georgia.

Jim Martin

Martin grew up in Georgia, and studied at the University of Georgia. He is an Army veteran and a lawyer, and also spent 18 years in the Georgia State House. He was also head of the state’s Department of Human Resources.

Ted Stevens, one of the longest-serving people in the U.S. Senate, appears to have lost his re-election bid, findingDulcinea reported Nov. 19. Stevens was more than 3,700 votes behind Mark Begich with just 2,500 votes left to be counted.

"Stevens was recently found guilty of failing to report that he had received $250,000 in gifts and home renovations. He said he does not plan to ask President Bush to pardon him before he leaves office," findingDulcinea said.